Parents and caregivers who abuse their children, do not usually do so in a vacuum. There are normally some personal or situational factors that drive them to abuse the children who are in their care. Below are some of the reasons why parents/caregivers abuse their children.

• They were abused or deprived as children
• Lack of parenting knowledge
• Expecting too much from children, and not understanding the developmental stages and needs of children
• Financial problems and unemployment, which create frustration and stress, which are then transmitted to the child
• Insecurity and immaturity, particularly among teenaged parents
• Alcohol or drug problems, or other forms of addiction, such as gambling
• Inability to manage children single handedly in the case of single parents
• Their self-image is defective
• They see physical punishment as a means of disciplining child

This website was created by Trevesa DaSilva © 2003